HISTORIC CITY NEWS
Historic City News has been published daily since March 2000. Reporting local news for St Augustine and St Johns County Florida, Historic City News is the county's only free press. Our mission is to hold public figures accountable to the public.
Monday was the first day of in-person early voting, in the General Election of 2020 being conducted locally by St Johns County Supervisor of Elections Vicky Oakes.
During the City Commission meeting on Monday October 12, 2020, City Commissioner John Valdes was named to chair a new five-member committee whose purpose is to update the city’s flood mitigation code, building code, and zoning code, as they relate to flood protection. To overstate the obvious, members of the commission agreed that there is a need to update the current code’s flood protection rules.
Michael Ryan, Director of the St. Johns County Communications Division, announced to Historic City News that a special meeting of the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, in the Auditorium located in the County Administration Building.
Historic City News reporters watched as 74-year-old President Donald Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday that he and the first lady, 50-year-old Melania Trump, have tested positive for COVID-19.
The Adjutant General for the Florida National Guard, Maj. Gen. James Eifert, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an official notification received by Historic City News today. Eifert is in consultation with his physician to ensure that he does not return to work until there is no chance he can spread the virus to others.
At the St Augustine Beach City Commission Meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, the Commission voted unanimously to cancel the City’s largest event, the Beach Blast Off Fireworks event and to consider alternative socially responsible events.
Now that the governor’s October 1st deadline is upon them, the city manager, John Regan, is throwing the public an obligatory “bone”, announcing to local Historic City News reporters that City Hall “is prepared to resume in-person public meetings and hearings”.
Last Monday, the St Augustine City Manager, who has been peppered with criticism over his handling of a growing list of maladies in the community, told commissioners and Historic City News reporters that he has spent “over $318,000” in direct moving costs for the specious “emergency” removal of the 141-year-old veterans memorial that stood in honor of 46-individual, local soldiers who died during the American Civil War.